The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-01
THE WHITE HOUSE DINING ROOM.
Historic Silver Plate That Belongs to
the United States.
From Harper's Baxar.

0NN~N0A'
From Harper's BaSar.
The private dining room, or that in which
the family residing in that house take their
meals on all save State occasions, and in
which, when they desire to have a few
friends dine with them informally, the
meal is served, is one of the handsomest
rooms in the building 1t and the red par
lor are the only ones on the first floor which
suggest by their furniture and ornaments
the apartments for similar purposes in the
homes of people of wealth and taste The
East Room, the Blue and Green parlors, and
the State dining room, all have a stiff, cere-
monious air, as if made for show, and call
TO mind the parlors of finely furnished ho-
tells, which are not expected to be used us
living rooms by any one. But in modern
hotels of the best class one does not see
woodwork about doors and windows painted
in colors, as was done six years ago in the
Blue Parlor, and remaineth to this day a
bright glaring blue, which. there being
much of it beneath and around the win
dows, spoils the tints of everything else in
the parlor.
Some of the most really elegant furni-
T1re in the White House is in the private
dining room. The sideboard of deliberately
carved mahogany, made for the room,
and purchased by Mrs Hayes when mistress
of the mansion, is there, and likewise the
side table and buffet made by President
Arthur's orders out of the dining table
talso Of carved mahogany, which had
been made by Mrs. Hayes order at the
same time as the sideboard), and in similar
style
President Arthur complained that the
carved legs of this table when he sat at it
for meals hurt his legs, so he had it divided
and fashioned into the two pieces of furni-
ture Just named, and replaced it with a
large round table. which is still in the room,
and stands i'll the centre, and on it meals are
served. Two very old wooden side tables,
with highly polished surface, are against
the walls in this room. Side lights, wholly
made of the finest glass globes, brackets
pipes, and all of a fine rose shade, are
affixed to the walls. The wall paper add
the carpet are very handsome, and harmon
ize with the furniture, as the curtains do
likewise.
The China, silver, and glass on the side
board, buffet, and table would delight the
taste of connoisseurs for their quality and
form, apart from their intrinsic value and
the associations that cluster about them. 1t
speaks well for the honesty of White House
employees that solid silver and gold table
ware has remained there SO long-fifty years
and upward, some of it. Chance visitors are
never admitted to this room, for all day,
when a President is living in the White
House, all these vaIuables are exposed on
the table, ETC., in this room. Some of the
silver was used during Monroe's admins
tration. Some of the china in use since,
as it was during Lincoln's term is there ;
it is white with a Solferino border. and is
is generally put on the table when the
family dine 2Cne or have out one or two
guests. Part of the elaborate china SER
vice made and 'ecorated to order, bought
by Mrs Hayes while in the White House,
is arranged on the buffet, and some
of the larger plates are fastened on the
walls
OF the Monroe silver there is whole SER
vice all of solid silver. Among the pieces,
all OF which have beautiful shapes, are two
soup tureens with covers. The tureens are
affixed TO large oval-shaped, fat-bottomed
stands spreading beneath them like walters
These stands and tureens are all in one piece.
There are silver cake baskets, gravy boats,
urns for coffee, tea, and hot water, and
water and syrup pitchers. There are fine
glass claret jugs with silver tops, and tea
kettle of FURNISHED brass over lamp for
alcohol.
All the silver is very substantial look
ing. The silver Hiawatha boat, used
as a central ornament for the table on
state occasions, stands on the buffet This
was bought at the Centennial Exposition of
1870
Mr.. Van Buren's gold spoons and forks,
which were a lively campaign issue while
be was President, are also on the buffet.
They are very plain indeed, and, like all
the silver, are marked PRESIDENTS House"
All these valuables are carefully watched,
for the steward of the White House is re-
sponsible for them to the government He
gives heavy bond on taking his place,
and all the furniture, ornaments, and
other United States property in the build
ing is under his charge, and he is directly
responsible for their care and preserva-
ton. No President takes to the Executive
Mansion his own or his wife's silver, glass,
china, or household linen, as all these
things are provided by the government,
and private property must not be mixed
with them.
The wedding presents made to the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Cleveland are at Oak View,
as well as their other personal effects in the
way of silver, china, pictures, and the like,
except perhaps few articles which they
keep in their private rooms at the White
House.